If This Is a Nightmare Please Wake Me
by ClydeandRani4ever
Summary: Harrison from the Man who Never Was episode returns and harms one of the kids.


If This Is a Nightmare Please Wake Me

Set during the fifth season.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Sarah Jane Adventures or Doctor Who, the BBC does so I'm not making any profit off of this story and I have no intention of infringing on Copyright laws.

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"Hello," Rani called out. "Is anyone there?" She continued to call out as she took in her current surroundings. She wondered how she wound up there in the first place.

"Somebody help me!" Rani heard a very familiar panicked voice. "Dad, dad, where are you?!" Rani shouted and looked for her father but couldn't find him all she could see in front of her was darkness. She continued to hear her father's voice as he begged her to return to him.

"Oh my God," Rani heard another voice. "Haresh, what happened?"

"Sarah Jane?" Rani recognized the voice right away. "Sarah Jane, help please get me out of here!"

"She got shot, and when I get my hands on the shooter." Haresh's voice shook.

"Who got shot?" Rani was stunned. "Are they okay? Dad, answer me!"

Rani then heard Sarah Jane's voice again. "No I will not hold, she's very badly hurt and needs medical care straight away."

Rani then heard a cry of pure anguish from her mum. Tears began to well in Rani's eyes when she heard how upset her mum sounded.

"No, no, not my baby, wake up, Darling," Rani heard her mum cry out and also thought she felt her mum's arms around her. "Don't you leave me."

_Wait a minute I'm the one that got shot? Impossible, _Rani thought as she tried to remember how she wound up in the dark place.

"Stay with me," Rani's mum continued to plead. "Don't die."

"Mum, I won't die I promise." Rani said as tears began to fall from her eyes.

Rani then heard sirens approaching but couldn't see the emergency vehicles. Not long after she heard voices she didn't recognize talking about a gunshot wound to her head amongst other scary things. "No I don't want to die. Help me someone please help me." She began calling out for her parents, Sarah Jane, Clyde, Luke, Sky, and for the Doctor.

She couldn't make herself be heard no matter how loud she shouted all she did was frustrate herself further. Rani's tears fell harder and once she was all cried out she began to look for a way to return to her friends and family. Not long after she stopped hearing the voices of her loved ones and only heard voices of strangers who talked mostly of medical things. One lady kept telling her that everything was going to be all right and that she was going to be all right. Her soothing voice relaxed Rani some but not completely since she wanted to return to her friends and family more than anything.

It seemed like an eternity but Rani finally heard voices from her loved ones again. However, the sounds of their anguished voices were beginning to break her heart.

"Mum, who did it? Who hurt our Rani like this?" She heard Luke's tear filled voice.

"The police don't know yet, but I have a pretty good idea who," Rani thought she detected pure hate in Sarah Jane's voice.

"Harrison," Rani detected the same hate in Luke's voice.

Rani angered also as she remembered the man who had made slaves of the Skullions and tortured them on a regular basis. Sarah Jane and the children were still investigating trying to find out how Harrison had managed to escape from the Skullion leaders when they began receiving death threats from Harrison. Sarah Jane had done everything she could to protect all of them and they thought the danger was over when Harrison wound up in prison for his threats and for tax evasion.

"But, mum, he's in jail," Rani heard Luke.

"No he's not," Rani heard Sarah Jane's voice shake. "I was about to text all of you to let you know that Harrison had escaped from prison when I heard the gunshot outside." Rani felt someone kiss her and gently stroke her face. "I'm so sorry I didn't get there in time to stop him from hurting you, but he won't get to you again and he will not get away with this. Just please open your eyes and come back to us, Rani," she heard Sarah Jane pleading with her.

"I'm trying," Rani called out hoping that Sarah Jane would hear her. "Really I am."

"Get out both of you," Rani then heard a very angry voice in the room and realized it belonged to Clyde.

"Clyde," Rani heard Luke trying to calm him.

"You call this protecting her?!" Rani heard Clyde shout. "Sarah Jane, you promised me, you promised all of us that Harrison would never get to carry out his threat. And now the girl I love is badly hurt and lying in a coma. I'll never forgive you for this ever."

"Clyde, stop it!" Rani shouted. It's not their fault!"

"Clyde Langer, if you think for one second that I wouldn't move heaven and earth to stop this from happening then you don't know me very well," Rani heard Sarah Jane give it right back to Clyde. "I know you're hurting but you're not the only one that cares about her."

Rani heard Clyde sigh as he apologized to Luke and Sarah Jane.

"Wait a minute," Rani said out loud. "Did he say he loved me?"

"What did the doctor say?" Rani saddened when she heard the heartbreak in Clyde's voice. "Is she going to be all right?"

Rani angered when she couldn't hear what happened next and wound up some place else. She simmered down a little when she discovered that there was at least a little color to the new location. "Okay now where am I?"

"You tell me, it's your coma, and do you care for a jelly baby?" the Fourth Doctor inquired.

"Who are you?" Rani eyed him suspiciously.

"Exactly," the Doctor replied.

"What?"

"No who," he grinned and upon realizing that the young woman was still confused. "Oh that's right you've only met two of the future regenerations of me, so far."

"Doctor, is it really you?" Rani sat down next to him. "But how am I dreaming about you right now? I never met this version of you before."

"Rani, I'm able to travel through time and space, but what makes you think my travels are limited to time and space?" the Doctor questioned. "No, don't answer that it'll make your head hurt more than it does already. Just know that my job is to get you out of here and back to the people you love."

Rani took a jelly baby, thanked him, and then ate it. "Thank you, Doctor, I know you mean well but how do I know that you're not a figment of my imagination? I have seen pictures of all the Doctors that Sarah Jane has met before."

"I'm here, Rani, and whether you believe that or not isn't important right now. Just remember that I'm going to help you get out of here."

"How?"

"I don't know yet but as soon as I've figured it out I'll let you know," the Doctor promised and stayed with Rani. He did everything he could to help lead her out of the coma.

"Rani, they got him," Rani heard Sky's voice two weeks later. "My mum and your parents caught him trying to sneak into your room and nabbed him before he could hurt you again. Don't worry he won't get the chance to take a shot at any of us or at you ever again. The prison governor has put Harrison in solitary confinement since they have proof that he shot you. Please come back, Rani."

"I'm trying, Sky, really," Rani insisted.

"Then why are you still here? You can't love the jelly babies that much and if you do you can probably buy them in the real world," the Fourth Doctor stated.

"It's safer," Rani answered having started to get used to her new surroundings.

"It's not safe not when this place is keeping you away from your loved ones. Not when it's keeping you from living your life."

Rani wandered away from him and over to a wider and more beautiful area. "It's okay, doctor, I'll see my loved ones again but this time we'll meet in this world and the danger will be gone."

The Doctor began to worry more at that point. "Rani, no you have it all wrong. Your mind is playing tricks on you, and trying to make you believe that you belong here but you don't."

"Who says?"

"I do, your loved ones do, and until recently so did you. What's happened to change that?" the doctor patiently asked. "I know it's not selfishness because that's not the Rani I know."

Rani sighed and took a while to reply. "Logically maybe they'll be better off if I die. What do you think it will do to my loved ones if I never come out of the coma and just continue to lie in a hospital bed for several decades? What do you think it will do to them if I do come out of the coma and I have major brain damage?" Rani questioned. "Doctor, they've been through quite enough."

"And maybe therapy will work and you'll be able to overcome the brain damage or you might not suffer any at all. If you think they'll be okay if you pass on you're only fooling yourself," the Doctor gently replied.

Rani mulled his words over and almost caved in but she kept picturing her loved ones either having to deal with her as a brain damage victim or in a vegetative state for the rest of their days. "No, this can't go on any longer. I have to think of what's best for them."

Unbeknownst to her while Rani was saying all of this the Doctor had left her briefly to get someone there that he hoped she would listen to.

"What's best for us is your well being and you coming back," Sarah Jane said as she stood next to Rani.

Rani turned and looked at her not believing that she was there. "Sarah Jane?"

Sarah Jane smiled as fresh tears welled in her eyes and hugged her young friend. "I'm here, Rani, and if you're seriously thinking of not coming back then you and I need to have a long talk."

Rani hugged her back as her own eyes welled with tears.

Once they were both cried out enough to talk again. Sarah Jane pulled back and gently looked at her. "Now why don't you want to come back?"

"I don't want to be a burden to anyone," Rani replied.

"What, Rani you won't be a burden to anyone," Sarah Jane insisted. "If anything we'll be happy and relieved to have you back."

"Not if I can't lift a fork, tie my own shoelaces, or be able to form a coherent thought let alone speak a coherent word," Rani argued.

"Easy, we help you until you get the hang of it. The therapists here help you until you get the hang of it again," Sarah Jane retorted.

"And if I'm not able to get the hang of it?" Rani fretted.

"You will," Sarah Jane insisted. "Besides, the brain damage will be taken care of."

"What, how will it be taken care of?" Rani questioned.

"Doctor, what's that you're injecting into her IV?" Rani heard Clyde's voice.

"Shh," Rani heard the Eleventh Doctor's voice next. "It'll heal the brain damage which will in turn leave her Neurosurgeon scratching his head wondering how it happened."

Rani smiled through her tears. "How did he know?"

"I got in touch with him," the Fourth Doctor said. "And his wife, River Song, told him if he didn't get to Earth and save that girl that she would never let him forget it. Not that he needed her to coax him into it."

"So all the bad stuff that I thought might happen next has absolutely zero chance of happening now?" Rani hoped.

"Exactly," Sarah Jane assured her. "Rani, you're going to be all right just please come back to us as soon as you can. The past couple of weeks have been horrible."

Rani sighed. "I know I've been able to hear everything that goes on around me the entire time that I've been here."

"Then you know how much we love you and want you to wake up yesterday," Sarah Jane said.

Rani smiled and nodded. "I love you guys too."

They hugged again.

"I have to get back now," Sarah Jane said after she pulled back from the hug. "But the Doctor will remain here until you're able to wake up again. Oh and before I forget did Luke or Sky reveal any secrets to you when they visited?"

"Sarah Jane," Rani chided and laughed lightly.

"Hey you can't blame a person for trying," Sarah Jane smiled and laughed as well.

They hugged once more before Sarah Jane hugged the Doctor.

"She'll be fine, Sarah Jane, I'll make sure of it," the Doctor promised as he hugged her back and then helped her return to the real world.

Two days later Rani felt herself being pulled out of the only world she had known since the evil Harrison shot her.

"That's it, baby, open your eyes you're almost there," Rani heard her mum's encouraging voice.

"Rani, I think it's time for you to return now," the Doctor said.

Rani quickly hugged him which surprised him a little. The Doctor hugged her as well. "Thank you so much for everything."

"Anytime," he smiled. "Now wake up the whole world is waiting for you."

Rani smiled back and was pulled completely out of that world as her eyes opened in reality. She heard a steady beeping noise as the hospital room slowly came into focus. She smiled as her mum's face came into focus. "Hi, mum," she managed.

Gita smiled as she fought back tears of joy and relief. "Hi, sweetheart, I love you so much." Gita hugged her refusing to let go.

Rani hugged her back. "I love you, mum, very much."

"I know you must be thirsty but your system can probably only handle ice chips right now," one of the nurses said to Rani.

Rani recognized the voice right away. She was the one who had been talking to her and trying to comfort her when she was in that other place. "You were there when I was out," Rani smiled at her too. "Thanks for talking to me."

The nurse smiled. "Not a problem, love, so do you want some ice chips then?"

Rani nodded so the nurse got them for her while another checked her vitals. A third nurse went to get Rani's Doctor and the rest of Rani's loved ones.

Haresh rushed in first and hugged and kissed his daughter. Rani hugged and kissed him back. Haresh pulled back and checked on her. "Are you all right? How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, Dad, just feel a little out of it," Rani admitted.

"Yeah, I would too if I had been out cold for a little over two weeks," Haresh said and then kicked himself mentally.

Gita shot him a '_what are you trying to do scare her'_ look.

"Rani, I'm sorry…"

Rani interrupted him. "Dad, it's okay, I remember being in a coma, so you don't have to tip toe around the subject," she assured him.

"No it's not okay," Haresh said protectively and hugged her again.

Rani hugged him again as well.

"Rani!" Sky exclaimed as she barged into the room and hugged her barely giving her parents time to get out of the way.

Rani hugged her back.

"Sky," Luke chided about her almost knocking Haresh and Gita over.

Gita smiled. "Luke, it's all right. Sky's been worried too."

Luke and Clyde exchanged hugs with Rani next.

Sarah Jane walked in and smiled at the excitable banter as the children talked for a bit. "Is she all right?" she asked Haresh and Gita.

"We'll know more once the Doctor has examined her but I think she will be," Haresh answered. "The nightmare is finally over."

"It is, thank God," Sarah Jane said and hugged Rani once the children gave her room to do so.

Rani hugged her as well and whispered. "Thank you for coming to see me in that other place."

Sarah Jane smiled and hugged her closer. "You remember that?"

"I do," Rani confirmed.

"You never have to thank me for that. You're one of my kids," Sarah Jane reminded her.

Eventually, Rani's doctor was able to examine his patient. He removed her name from the critical list and assured his patient and her loved ones that she was going to be fine.

One week later Rani was released from the hospital with orders to stay in bed for another week and away from school for two weeks after that.

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_The End_


End file.
